Partition Body Cable-Assisted Retraction Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional article storage facilities face challenges in fully retracting a partition device from the aisle due to its large up-down dimension, leading to potential contact with a stacker crane and damage, especially when the partition body warps or inclines during retraction.
Innovation Solution
An article storage facility with a partition device that includes a sliding partition body, a guide mechanism, and a movement assist mechanism featuring a cable body and guide mechanism, allowing the partition body to be retracted from the aisle regardless of its up-down dimension, with a grip portion accessible by the worker to facilitate complete retraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the partition body is made with a large up-down dimension to match the height of article storage racks, then the partition device can effectively divide the aisle space, but the partition body becomes difficult to fully retract due to warping or inclining during sliding movement
Solution Approach 1:
A cable body is introduced as an intermediary element to connect the upper portion of the partition body to the worker's hand. This cable body transmits the worker's pulling force directly to the upper portion of the partition body, ensuring that the entire partition body including its upper portion can be reliably retracted without warping or inclining, thus resolving the contradiction between large partition body size and retraction reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The upper portion of the partition body is extracted as a separate control point for retraction operation. By providing a grip portion on the cable body that extends to the upper portion of the partition body, the system allows direct control of the upper portion's position, preventing warping and ensuring complete retraction while maintaining the large overall size of the partition body
2Length of stationary object
If the partition body dimension in the up-down direction is significantly larger than the worker height, then the partition device provides effective aisle separation, but the upper portion of the partition body cannot be properly controlled during manual retraction
Solution Approach 1:
The cable body serves as a mediator that extends the worker's manual control capability to the upper portion of the partition body. The worker grips the cable body at a reachable height and pulls to retract the entire partition body, including its upper portion that would otherwise be inaccessible, thus resolving the contradiction between partition body height and manual retraction control
Solution Approach 2:
The control mechanism is extended from the lower portion of the partition body to its upper portion through the cable body. This dimensional extension allows the worker to control the upper portion's position during retraction, ensuring proper alignment and preventing warping while maintaining the partition body's large height for effective aisle separation
Data Source
AI summary
Two transport units are provided with a partition device. The partition device includes a partition body, a partition body guide mechanism, and a movement assist mechanism. The movement assist mechanism includes a cable body and a cable body guide mechanism. A coupling portion is coupled to an upper portion of the partition body. A grip portion is provided on the cable body spaced apart from the coupling portion. The cable body guide mechanism includes a guide body. The cable body extends along a curved extending direction along the guide body. A portion of the cable body on the coupling portion side relative to the guide body extends along a width direction on a protruding side in the width direction relative to the guide body, and a portion of the cable body on the grip portion side relative to the guide body extends along an up-down direction below the guide body.